Control
by Sylverarrow
Summary: AU. Annabeth had always been fierce, even as a nine year old. She always believed that nothing could kill her. Not until she found herself trapped in the woods, all alone, with no way out. Afterwards, there was only one question. How did she get out?


**I'd like to make a new story for the following reasons.**

 **1\. If you couldn't tell by my update schedule for my other stories (it's like putting up a single chapter every other year) I'm not getting a lot of inspiration for it.**

 **2\. I am a teenager. Consistency is not my style.**

 **3\. I do Fanfiction for fun. I intend to continue doing it for fun, even if that makes me one of the authors who has 300 stories with 2 finished.**

 **As summer approaches, I grow more reckless.**

 **I used to be a huge fan of X-Men Evolution when it was on Netflix. Sadly, it has since been taken off. I'll have to resort to YouTube.**

 **Annabeth**

My name is Annabeth Chase. I am a daughter of Athena, and a year round camper at Camp Half-Blood. This is my third year, and I'm only nine years old. I've gone here just as long as most of the campers in high school. I'm also much more skilled and smarter than most of them.

When I was seven, I ran away from home. My stepmother and father didn't want me, and I didn't need them. I wasn't on my own for long. Thalia, a daughter of Zeus, and Luke, a son of Hermes, found me pretty quickly. They both had also run away from home. We formed our own little family. We were happy that way, the three of us on the run. But it didn't last. A few weeks after I joined them, a satyr named Grover found us. He attempted to lead the three of us to Camp, to keep us safe.

We were so close to safety. We had an army of monsters behind us, but we were already halfway up the hill that led to Camp's borders, which kept monsters out. However, all four of us were tired. Thalia knew we weren't going to make it. She told the rest of us to go on ahead and took a final stand. She died for us. She died for me.

Now there's a huge pine tree marking Camp's borders. It's really Thalia. When she was dying, Zeus turned her into it to save her life. I like to think she's so tall because she's watching over me and Luke.

Today is a regular day. Regular, boring things will happen. I'll talk to the same regular, boring people. You'd think being demigod would fill your life with excitement. Then you get stuck in a camp for three years straight.

I love camp. It's my home now, my REAL home. But I want to prove myself. I want to go on a quest and make Thalia proud. I'm a daughter of Athena. I know I'm ready.

I ask Chiron as often as I can. I've given him every reason I can think of that would make me a logical choice for a quest. He always says no. It's like he doesn't believe in me, for just a second, whenever he says that.

I made note to ask Chiron again. One of these times, he's going to have to say yes. I tugged myself out of bed and got ready an efficient ten minutes before the rest of my cabin mates woke up. I settled in to read just as Walker, Athena's counselor, woke everyone up to get ready for breakfast. When the horn sounded, we lined up- I was eighth in line- and marched up to the ding pavilion. There we waited for the cabin's that refused to wake up on time. Then we made a toast to the gods, filled our plates, and went to go burn our food. Luke winked and smiled at me as he pushed some sausages into the fire. Then we sat down again. A regular breakfast.

After that, camp activities started. I climbed the rock wall, went to archery, did arts and crafts, did some strategy with my cabin mates, all before lunch. I'd have practically the rest of the say free. Usually I'd hang out with Luke or go talk to Chiron, but they were both teaching classes. Not seeing anything else that would be worth my time, I decided to take a walk in the woods.

You aren't supposed to go into the woods by yourself, but I've gone in before on my own. As long as you don't go too far, most of the really dangerous monsters leave you alone. It was nothing I couldn't handle.

The woods were actually one of the most quiet places in all of camp. It was where I went to attempt to get rid of my headaches.

I've had them since I was eight. This pounding in my head, as if something was trying to get out. Living with so many ADHD kids must take its toll.

I walked through the trees, knife at the ready, waving at the nymphs as I passed. I carefully breathed in and out to help calm down my headache. It was easier when I had my eyes closed, but I was getting better at multi tasking.

I made it past the stream to Zeus's fist. Hurriedly, I climbed on top. You could feel so much taller when simply standing on top of a rock. It made a good vantage point for checking for the worst monsters, and kept you surprisingly hidden. It´s amazing how many monsters don´t look up.

I just stood there for a while, steadily breathing. It wouldn't be long for someone to start looking for me. I was the baby of camp. Very few demigods came as young as I did. Soon enough, they're going to stop treating me like a baby. I know more than most people here. Who cares if I'm nine? I have more world and camp experience than practically everyone. The only one beating me out is Luke. One day I'll overtake him, though. I'll be even greater than Luke.

I had almost taken him down in a sparing match the other day. He looked so proud before he disarmed me. I'd give anything for that look he had at that moment.

My headache started to sooth. It always did when I thought about Luke. I don't think he realizes it though. Luke was the only one who knew about my headaches. I begged him not to tell anyone. If it turned out something was wrong with my health, I'd never get a quest. Luke agreed. He always understands.

Satisfied that I was safe, I slid down Zeus' fist and continued hiking through the woods, enjoying the blissfulness of a less severe headache for once. Everything was calm and right, and I knew eventually it'd be even better once Luke came to fetch me for lunch. We'd hike back through the woods, talking and laughing like we always do. And maybe- just maybe- he'd hug me when we got to the dining pavilion.

My daydreams were cut short by the silence. Suddenly, the dryads and nymphs were no longer there. The harmless, smaller monsters scattered. I drew my knife and slowly started back towards Zeus' fist. Something big was coming.

My head pounded, making it harder to think. The only sounds were my breathing and leaves being stepped on in the woods. In every direction, something was targeting me. Those somethings were most likely dangerous and not at all concerned with stealth. They knew they could take me. I couldn't take things on in every direction. I wasn't that good.

I begged in my head for Luke to look for me now, for him to somehow get some bad feeling and realize I needed him.

So far the monsters still hadn't shown themselves. But they were getting closer slowly, as if they had all the time in the world.

Just when I thought I might make it to Zeus' fist, they burst into view. Things I'd seen before. Hellhounds. Huge snarling dogs of Hades. They chased Thalia, Luke, Grover, and I up the hill.

They snarled and bit at me. Before I could do anything, they all had completely surrounded me. I couldn't even escape into the trees above me. I was completely and totally surrounded.

It didn't make any sense. Why would so many gang up on me all at once? Sure, wild hellhounds worked in packs, but they would see little me and assume only one or two could take me down. There were at least a dozen of them. Was someone after me? That didn't make any sense either. I wasn't famous for anything yet.

The hellhounds slowly crept towards me from every direction, forcing me to stand in the center of their circle. I was backed into a corner with no way out.

I blinked quickly, trying to digest that reality. I was really trapped. I was really about to die. No one was coming to save me. No one knew where I was. I was all alone with no way out.

My headaches came back full force, more painful than I have ever felt. It felt like my entire body was on fire. I couldn't help it. I fell to my knees and screamed. I screamed so loud I think I blasted my own eardrums out. My vision blurred. I curled into myself, screaming, waiting to die, my headache steadily growing worse until I couldn't see anything. I felt something cold nudge my face. Then I stopped feeling anything.

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 _New mutant signature detected._


End file.
